Missouri Man Pleads Guilty To Failing To Update His Sex Offender Registration

SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that John Mark Phillips, 50, of Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty Monday before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, for failing to update his sex offender registration.
           
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Phillips was convicted in Christian County Missouri on September 22, 1995, for sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 14.  In 2011, he failed to register as a sex offender and was given an 18-month federal sentence for the offense.  On May 2, 2013, U.S. Probation Officers in Missouri transmitted a notice that Phillips had left his Springfield, Mo., residence.  On May 3, 2013, a warrant was issued for Phillips’ arrest, and Shreveport police arrested him later that same day.

Phillips faces up to 10 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for one count of failure to update sex offender registration.  A sentencing date of September 10, 2014 has been set.

The U.S. Marshals Service, Western District of Missouri U.S. Office of Probation, and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.